The Terrace
A study of the letter we call Ephesians.
Community Practices
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Preparation
Take turns having one person in the community commit to bringing bread and grape juice to share for communion on a given week. If you’re going for authenticity, use matzo (unleavened) bread. But really, any bread that everyone enjoys will do. Your first couple of times taking communion together in community, watch this video together before you take the bread and the cup.
Gather together as a community for dinner as usual, with the bread and the cup on the table alongside the evening meal. Have someone from your community volunteer to lead.
CommunionTo begin the evening meal, the leader will invite everyone to take a piece of bread and a glass of grape juice and will choose one of the following Scriptures to read:
Matthew 26:26–28
Mark 14:22–24
Luke 22:19–20
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
After reading one of the Scriptures, the leader will pray, giving thanks for the body and blood of Jesus. The leader might have everyone take each element individually, reciting the sacramental phrases, “ this is the body of Christ broken for you," and, "this is the blood of Christ shed for you,” before each element. Or, the leader might simply give thanks, then invite the group to eat and drink. With the sacrifice of Jesus in mind, everyone takes the bread and the cup, and then the community meal begins!
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 2:4-7 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
At various times throughout our lives, all of us will inevitably arrive at a crossroads of uncertainty, fear, or quiet longing for what might come next. The Apostle Paul had such a moment on the road to Damascus, when he encountered the risen Christ in a powerful way. He had been a violent persecutor of Christians, but was unexpectedly confronted by Jesus, transformed by grace, and sent on mission. Years later, after choosing to follow Jesus, Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesian church as a reminder of their identity and shared story, meant to guide disciples of Jesus forward in their journey.
But before his letter to the Ephesians, Paul stumbled his way through obedience to Christ, going on a journey from partial submission to fuller surrender. His story reminds us that salvation is initiated by Jesus, but requires a human response. Through persecution, obscurity, ministry, and imprisonment, Paul became an apostle whose life embodied both the messiness and faithfulness of discipleship. His letter to the Ephesians is an invitation for all believers to remember their story, gain perspective, and recognize that God is continually at work, even in complicated seasons.
We, as individuals, but also as a community, may very well be standing at the threshold of a new season. But rather than promising an easy or perfected Christian life, the invitation Paul gives us is toward steady, communal discipleship. We are called to walk together through uncertainty, choosing full obedience over partial listening, and trusting God with what lies ahead. Whether facing crisis, transition, or quiet curiosity about the future, the call is the same: remember the story, hold fast to grace, remain united in love, and allow the Spirit to prepare the church for whatever comes next.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Where might you be standing at a crossroads in your life right now, and how is God inviting you to trust him with what’s next?
In what areas of your life could you be practicing partial obedience rather than full surrender to God?
How does Paul’s transformation remind you of God’s grace in your own story, and where have you seen him lead you in unexpected ways?
As you look toward the future, what would it look like for you to walk faithfully with Jesus in community rather than trying to navigate life alone?
Read
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week. There are only six chapters in the letter, so reading a chapter each day won’t take very much time. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Together, let’s see what the Spirit does as we repeatedly spend time in Ephesians during the week, and then unpack it as a church each Sunday.
If it’s helpful, your community can set up a time of recurring check-in to hold each other accountable.
Practice
This week, set aside about 15 minutes to spend in listening prayer, reflecting on the road that lies behind you and asking God to lead you into what’s next.
Begin by finding a quiet, comfortable place. Take a slow breath in, then release it. Ask the Holy Spirit to meet you in this moment and make you attentive to God’s presence. You might pray simply, “Lord, I’m listening. Help me notice where you have been at work in my life.”
First, look back. Gently reflect on your journey, both the steady seasons and the bumpy roads. Where have you seen God guide, correct, provide, or surprise you? Thank him for his faithfulness, even in moments that felt messy or unclear. Let gratitude ground you in the reminder that you do not walk alone.
Next, look inward. Ask God, “Is there anywhere in my life where I’ve been listening, but not fully obeying?” Sit in silence for a minute or two. If something comes to mind, resist the urge to judge yourself. Instead, receive God’s grace. Remember that Jesus meets us with invitation, not condemnation. Take note of anything that comes to mind.
Finally, look ahead. Open your hands as a physical posture of surrender and pray, “God, where are you leading me next?” Don’t strain for an answer, but simply pay attention to any word, image, scripture, or gentle nudge that surfaces, taking note of what God is saying.
Close your time with a prayer of thankfulness and by asking for courage to follow wherever Jesus is leading you, trusting that the same God who has carried you this far will guide you forward.
Come to your next community meeting ready to share about your experience.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 2:8-10 as a prayer over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 1:3-6 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with what can be described as a sweeping shout of praise. It’s as if he’s starting the story by first presenting the grand finale, starting the symphony with the climatic flourish. In this incredible opening, Paul writes of a God who blesses his people and invites them into relationship rather than demanding fearful devotion. He says that God chose, from the foundation of the world, to create a holy and redeemed people through Christ, which was an act rooted in love and meant to inspire worship.
But the predestination that Paul writes of is not about God selecting certain individuals for salvation while condemning others. Instead, it’s about God’s longstanding plan to form a covenant family. Drawing on the story of Israel, Paul frames adoption, redemption, and deliverance as part of God’s ongoing mission to restore all creation. Holiness is less about rule-keeping and more about being set apart as a transformed people who live into the identity God has already given them.
Against a backdrop of cultural division, suffering, and anxiety, Paul begins with victory and hope. God is actively bringing unity to heaven and earth through Christ. While the world is undeniably broken, the story is still moving toward redemption, and believers are written into that story. This assurance invites all of us who follow Jesus to narrow our focus to faithful obedience within our calling, trusting that God’s invincible love is at work making all things new.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
If you did it, how was your experience reading the entirety of Ephesians this week?
What does it mean to you that God’s story began long before us and that we are invited into it through Christ?
How does understanding predestination as God forming a people (rather than choosing individuals) change the way you see your faith and belonging?
The teaching described holiness as being “set apart” rather than simply following rules. What might it look like to live out that identity in your everyday life?
In a world full of anxiety and brokenness, how can remembering that God is moving everything toward redemption shape where you place your attention and energy?
Read
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week. There are only six chapters in the letter, so reading a chapter each day won’t take very much time. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Together, let’s see what the Spirit does as we repeatedly spend time in Ephesians during the week, and then unpack it as a church each Sunday.
If it’s helpful, your community can set up a time of recurring check-in to hold each other accountable.
Practice
While we are encouraging everyone to read the entirety of Ephesians each week during this series, we are also inviting our church to enter into the ancient practice of Scripture memorization.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, God instructed his people to fix his words on their hearts and minds (Deuteronomy 11:18), and Jesus famously said to his disciples that “a good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45). When our hearts and minds are filled with the words of God, they become a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105), shaping us more and more into the image of Jesus as we walk the road of discipleship.
This week, begin to memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. It could be as simple as a single verse that stands out to you, or it could be a small section or longer passage. The point is to allow the Scriptures to take up residence within you.
One suggestion is to memorize the anchor passage for this series that was unpacked this past Sunday, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s that grand, sweeping shout of praise that Paul opens his letter with, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Whichever verse or passage you choose, share it with your community so that you can all encourage one another in this practice. Then, spend a few minutes each day over the weeks of this series slowly reading and re-reading the passage, allowing its words to gradually be written on your heart and your mind.
Over the weeks, you may even consider taking time as a community to have each person recite their chosen passage when they have successfully memorized it.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 1:13-14 as a prayer over the group.
